HC Deb 05 February 1979 vol 962 cc72-3W
Mr. Maurice Macmillan

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report the number of fatalities resulting from accidends on railway level crossings for each of the past 10 years; and how many of these were in any part due to the failure or inadequacy of automatic barrier equipment.

Mr. Horam

The numbers of fatalities resulting from accidents on railway level crossings for each of the past 10 years are as follows.

1969 … … … … … 16
1970 … … … … … 22
1971 … … … … … 14
1972 … … … … … 16
1973 … … … … … 9
1974 … … … … … 10
1975 … … … … … 10
1976 … … … … … 18
1977 … … … … … 11
1978 … … … … … 17*
*(provisional)

In one case only was the accident in any way due to a failure or inadequacy of the automatic barrier equipment. In July 1978, after the barriers at Hamsey level crossing had failed in the lowered position with the red lights flashing, a motor cyclist was killed when he zigzagged round the barriers and was hit by a train.